I agree with most of the post above.
I do respect people who want to change their career, even if they are Captain in BA, AF, ... Not every job is for everybody. For an aviation career you need to be really passionate and as for every job, it is always hard to tell what is truly the job when you are still in training / university ...
More chance for a 20 years old cadet, who went straight to pilot school, then straight right seat A320 to be totally bored at 30 ... The way of doing in USA with flight instructor, regional, main line, ... make the job more interesting in my opinion and give people more chance to find the job does really suit them.
I have friends in aviation flying as bush pilot in Canada, I can guarantee they would never be happy to be FO in whatever airline, even if it is the "normal" way to move your career foward.
Now I disagree when people say the job today is boring with no personal rewards ... I know (sadelly) lot of people who manage by themselves to make the job boring. Using max automation for example, clicking switchs and not trying to challenge themselves ... Yes, I do understand they find the job boring with not challenge at a personal level.
No later than yesterday, I was really happy to do as almost everyday, a nice visual approach with all automatic off and my new FO next to me to say it was really cool to watch and he d like more captain to encourage to do that ...
I speak about this, because this is one of my "reward" for delay, other inconvenience from the pilot job, the wake up at 3am 5time in a raw ... and it is why I really love my job.
When I go to holiday I m really happy to disconnect from work but if I don't fly for 2 weeks, I m really looking forward to be back in the sky !
From what I know in BA, the airline is too strict for me about how you can fly the plane and use of automation, even if TC are good, personally in BA I would find my job boring, so BA is just not for me, does not mean it is not for many other people ... Because we come back about we are all seeking for different "reward" in our job.
If you are really unhappy in your job, do a career change, maybe you will be happier staying in aviation but doing something else, flight instructor or whatever ...
Take care